I'll Take Sweden

I'll Take Sweden
Movie poster
Directed by	Frederick de Cordova
Produced by	Edward Small
Written by	Nat Perrin Bob Fisher Arthur Marx
Starring	Bob Hope Tuesday Weld Frankie Avalon
Music by	William "By" Dunham Jimmie Haskell
Cinematography	Daniel L. Fapp
Production company	Edward Small Productions
Distributed by	United Artists
Release date	June 18, 1965 (USA)
Running time	97 min.
Country	United States
Language	English
Box office	$1,500,000

I'll Take Sweden is a 1965 comedy film directed by Frederick de Cordova, and starring Bob Hope, Frankie Avalon, and Tuesday Weld.

Single father Bob Holcomb (Hope), a widower, is unhappy with the guitar-playing boy (Avalon) his daughter JoJo (Weld) chooses as a husband-to-be. An executive with an oil company, Bob accepts a transfer to the firm's branch and he takes JoJo along, hoping it will distract her.

Sweden turns out to be far more liberal sexually than the United States. Bob, having met an attractive interior designer, Karin (Dina Merrill), decides to take her away for a romantic weekend at a mountain resort.

JoJo, however, has accepted a similar offer from Erik (Jeremy Slate), who is Bob's new assistant. Originally seen as a respectable suitor, Erik turns out to be a playboy and a cad. A girl thought to be his cousin, Marti, is actually a former girlfriend.

Kenny turns up and brings Marti along to the resort, where the three couples continue to awkwardly encounter one another. Kenny finally has his fill of Erik, knocking him out with his guitar. On a voyage home, the ship's captain performs a double wedding ceremony.

The parts of the movie that were supposed to be in Sweden were shot at Big Bear Lake and Lake Arrowhead, California.

The casting of Tuesday Weld and Frankie Avalon was seen as Bob Hope getting some box office insurance to attract younger audiences.

The movie was advertised as being Hope's 50th but even he disputed that.

Director Frederick De Cordova saw Luci Baines Johnson, daughter of President Lyndon B. Johnson, dance the Watusi at a White House barbecue. He offered her a role in the film but she declined on the grounds she had to go to school.Billie Dove visited the set and Bob Hope offered her a role too but the former star declined.

Howard Thompson of The New York Times loathed the film: